Ultimate Literary Guide to Edinburgh

Book lovers planning a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland you’re in for a treat. 

Edinburgh was named the world’s very first UNESCO City of Literature in 2004, and rightly so. There are few cities in the world that do more to honor their hometown writers. Hell, there are few cities in the world that have such high caliber writers among their denizens to honor.

That makes Edinburgh one of the very best places to visit if you identify as a bibliophile. On my multiple visits, I’ve made a point to explore the best literary sights Edinburgh has to offer (after all, literary travel is kind of my whole thing, if you’re new here).

In this post, I’ll cover all the major (and many of the minor) bookish sights in Edinburgh so that you can plan your very own literary tour. I’ll cover everything from the relevant museums and memorials, to Harry Potter sights, to the famous Edinburgh literary pub tour (and how to plan your own if group tours aren’t your thing).

We’ll cover sights related to the city’s most famous writers, both past and present, so you can maximize your time enjoying literary Edinburgh.

Don’t forget to pin this post so you can reference this when planning your trip to one of my favorite cities on the planet.

Whenever possible, I recommend buying books at local bookshops or through Bookshop.org, because shopping there puts the profits right into the hands of indie bookstores all over the country.

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Edinburgh Writers’ Museum

The Edinburgh Writers’ Museum in the heart of Old Town Edinburgh celebrates the lives of three of Scotland’s most cherished writers — Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Robert Burns. Here, you can browse a collection of interesting personal items related to each author, ranging from a cast of Robert Burns’s skull to RLS’s smoking pipe to a seriously intriguing rocking horse. 

The Writers’ Museum is also housed inside a historic Edinburgh home that is a museum of itself. This is a quick stop, and it’s free, so it should be on every book lover’s Edinburgh itinerary. Make sure you read my complete guide to the Writers’ Museum in Edinburgh to help you plan your visit. 

Location: Lady Stair’s Close

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Scottish Storytelling Centre

Storytelling has always been a huge part of Scottish culture; for centuries, there’s been a strong oral tradition of passing stories from generation to generation. The Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh keeps that tradition alive today and is a really cool addition to a literary Edinburgh itinerary. 

If you’re just popping in to check it out, you can see some visual depictions of iconic Scottish stories, browse the bookshop, grab a bite to eat or a drink in the cafe, and maybe even take a quick tour of the John Knox House. But if you plan ahead, you can enjoy what this Edinburgh sight really does well and take in a storytelling event.

Keep an eye on the events calendar to attend one of their regular storytelling nights or special performances from visiting storytellers. You can also attend storytelling workshops to develop your own skills as a storyteller.  If you visit in October, you can even attend their annual Scottish International Storytelling Festival.

Location: 43-45 High Street 

Open 7 days a week, 10 am – 6 pm

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Related: Another UNESCO City of Literature is an easy 3-hour train ride from Edinburgh. There’s a ton of literary sights in Manchester to appeal to book lovers of all varietes. If you go, make sure you also check out these great Manchester bookshops.

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Literary Monuments

One of the ways Edinburgh shows pride in its literary heritage is through its monuments and statues. See if you can work some of these monuments into your Edinburgh itinerary if you’re a fan of these books or famous Scottish writers. 

Scott Monument

At 61 meters tall, the Scott Monument is the largest memorial ever built to honor a writer. It’s one of the most iconic structures in Edinburgh — an oversized, gothic spire in the heart of Edinburgh. In the center of the monument, you’ll find a statue of a seated Sir Walter Scott, with depictions of some of his book characters scattered across the monument.

What you may not realize is that the Scott Monument is actually climbable! If your legs are feeling strong, you can pay to climb the 287 steps of the Scott Monument, stopping at the first floor to see a small museum room about Sir Walter Scott. Climbing to the top gives you some of my personal favorite views of Edinburgh. 

I think it’s completely worth the £ 8 admission and the effort to climb, though keep in mind the stairs are winding and get more and more narrow as you get closer to the top. 

Location: East Princes Street Gardens; you literally can’t miss it

Robert Louis Stevenson Memorial

The Robert Louis Stevenson Memorial in Edinburgh is hardly a memorial at all, especially if you compare it to the Scott Monument. It’s just a small stone on which is carved “RLS — A Man of Letters, 1850-1894.”

Apparently, Robert Louis Stevenson didn’t want any statues of himself to be constructed, so this understated stone marker in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle stands to honor him instead. It’s not really worth a trip just to see this, but if you’re visiting Edinburgh Castle, you can consider tracking it down to pay tribute.

Location: Princes Street, in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle

Kidnapped Statue

Here’s a Robert Louis Stevenson memorial with a bit more substance. Again, Stevenson didn’t want any statues erected of his own likeness, so folks got around that by erecting a memorial that doesn’t depict him, but rather some of his characters from his book, Kidnapped, one of the most beloved Scottish novels. 

The statue depicts David Balfour and Alan Brock Stewart and was unveiled by none other than Sean Connery in 2004. This memorial is located well outside the tourist center of Edinburgh, so it may or may not be worth your time to make the trip out of the city center to find it.

Location: Junction of Ellersly Road and Western Terrace on the A8

Robert Burns Monument

Another iconic structure in Edinburgh is the Robert Burns Monument at the foot of Calton Hill. Unlike the gothic structure of the Scott Monument, this writer’s monument was done in the neoclassical style, inspired by Greek temples. 

There’s not a whole lot to see at the monument itself, as it’s closed off and can only be viewed from behind a fence. Still, the location offers some great views of Edinburgh — particularly of Holyrood Palace and Arthur’s Seat (which is totally worth climbing, by the way). 

Location: Regent Road, Edinburgh

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle / Sherlock Statue

We often associate famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes with London and his famous address at 221b Baker Street (where you can now visit the Sherlock Holmes Museum). But Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a Scottish writer born in Edinburgh.

Near Picardy Place in the center of a busy intersection, you can find a supersized, bronze statue of Sherlock Holmes, depicted in a contemplative state, as he is supposed to be pondering the death of his creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It’s located just across the street from the Conan Doyle Tavern and very close to the author’s birthplace. 

Location: Picardy Place

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Writers’ Handprints

Each year since 2006, the City of Edinburgh has chosen a recipient of the Edinburgh Award. The award recognizes a current or former Edinburgh resident who has raised the profile and visibility of Edinburgh in a positive way.

To date, three writers have received the Edinburgh Award — Sir Ian Rankin, author of popular Scottish mystery novels; JK Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series; and Alexander McCall Smith, author of an enormous number of books, including the popular 44 Scotland Street series that takes place in Edinburgh. 

In one of Edinburgh’s lesser-known literary sights, you can see the handprints of each of these authors reproduced in flagstone outside City Chambers. It’s a quick detour off the Royal Mile and can be easily worked into your Edinburgh explorations.

Location: 253 High Street

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Edinburgh’s Literary Pubs

Pub culture is an important part of life in Scotland, and there’s plenty of Edinburgh pubs that also have literary connections. 

One of the most popular and unique things to do in Edinburgh is to take the famous Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour, which is led not just by tour guides but by two actors who put on a scripted performance for the duration of the evening walking tour. 

Unluckily, I haven’t been able to take this tour myself yet, as I was traveling with children (it’s an adults-only activity). But the tour is widely beloved, with hundreds of people leaving positive reviews saying how much they enjoyed it. 

If you, like me, don’t get to take the literary pub crawl, or if guided tours aren’t your cup of tea, you can still create your own tour of Edinburgh’s literary pubs. Check out some of the following. 

Conan Doyle Tavern

Located close to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s birthplace and across the street from the Sherlock monument, you can check out the Conan Doyle Tavern. It’s a classic, historic Scottish pub named for one of Scotland’s favorite authors. A plaque outside the tavern explains its connections to the author, and some of the pub’s interior decor relates to Conan Doyle.

Location: 71-73 York Place

Oxford Bar

The Oxford Bar in New Town Edinburgh has a more modern literary connection — it’s the favored watering hole of Inspector John Rebus from Sir Ian Rankin’s popular Edinburgh mystery novels. Apparently, Sir Ian himself still pops in for a drink every now and then. 

Though most bookish tourists these days come because of the Inspector Rebus connection, The Oxford Bar has deeper literary history than that, having once been a popular location for writers of the Scottish Renaissance to frequent. 

Location:  8 Young St

Deacon Brodie’s Tavern

While Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic crime thriller, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, is officially set in London, it was supposedly inspired by a real life criminal and Edinburgh native, Deacon Brodie. 

Deacon Brodie lived in Edinburgh in the 1700s. By day, he was a cabinet maker and respectable citizen; by night, he was an armed house robber, gambler, and all around despot. He was caught and hanged in 1788, and his sensational tale captivated the city. 

These days, literary tourists can stop in at the Deacon Brodie’s Tavern on the Royal Mile. It’s located just a stone’s throw away from both Brodie’s birthplace and death place, where he was publicly hanged. 

You can read an informative painting on the side of the building, and make sure to take a close look at the hanging sign. Each side depicts a different personae of the Jekyll and Hyde inspiration.

Location: 435 Lawnmarket

Related: Interestingly, Robert Louis Stevenson’s family owned a wardrobe made by Deacon Brodie. You can see it on display at the Writers’ Museum in Edinburgh.

Beehive Inn

The Beehive Inn is another Edinburgh institution and where the popular Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour begins. It was once a popular drinking place of Robert Burns. According to one of the owners of the tavern, he used to watch cock fights at the Beehive. 

The Beehive Inn is a great place to get authentic, traditional Scottish food, and, a bonus for canine lovers — it’s dog friendly. 

Location: 18-20 Grassmarket

White Hart Inn

The White Hart Inn is another of Edinburgh’s oldest pubs; documents show a pub having been at this location since 1516, though the current building dates from 1740. 

While Robert Burns may have gone to the Beehive Inn for cock fights, he opted to stay at the White Hart Inn on his last trip to Edinburgh in 1791. While staying at this historic pub, he wrote one of his famous poems, “Ae fond kiss.” 

William and Dorothy Wordsworth, brother and sister writes and poets, also stayed at the White Hart Inn during an 1803 visit to Edinburgh. 

Location: 34 Grassmarket

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44 Scotland Street

Alexander McCall Smith is one of Edinburgh’s most beloved living writers today. He is incredibly prolific and somehow manages to write several series simultaneously. His the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency books are some of my go-to cozy reads. Another of his most popular series is the 44 Scotland Street series, which takes place in his hometown of Edinburgh. 

The story of how the 44 Scotland Street series first came about is most interesting — McCall Smith wanted to try writing a serial novel, the way that Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell, and many other writers used to publish. So, the first 44 Scotland Street book was published in daily installments in The Scotsman, in 2004. That is, each chapter was published as he wrote it, and long before he finished the story.

The stories were later compiled into the 44 Scotland Street book, featuring the original short chapters as they were published serially. Since then, McCall Smith has continued the tradition of serial publication, producing one new Scotland Street book a year. 

The series follows a group of lovingly drawn, lightly satirical Edinburgh characters all living in the same building in New Town. The address for where they all live is a real address (and apparently the most famous address in Edinburgh). The building and street as they are depicted in the series is fictional, and quite unlike what you’ll see if you visit. Still, it’s a popular literary pilgrimage for readers in Edinburgh.

Location: 44 Scotland Street (duh)

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Stevenson House Bed & Breakfast

If you’re a fan of Robert Louis Stevenson’s adventure tales (Treasure Island is one of my top recommendations for beginner classics), the first place you’ll want to visit in Edinburgh is the Writers’ Museum. 

The second place you might choose to visit is the Stevenson House, the home where Stevenson grew up and to which he returned regularly as an adult. The home has been privately owned and lived in for a long time, but the owners partially operate it as a bed and breakfast. 

If you plan in advance, you can request to stay in one of two rooms for rent at the Stevenson House, one of which was once the room of Stevenson’s parents. Its bathroom still features the Victorian bath tub originally installed by the Stevensons. Staying overnight also includes a homemade breakfast. Prices are pretty reasonable by Edinburgh standards — £145 for the twin room and £180 for the double as of April, 2024.  

Also requiring some advanced planning, you can enjoy dinner at the Stevenson House. You have to contact them to book your meal, and they can accommodate anywhere from 2-70 guests. 

“Wherever he was, R.L.S. was a son of this house, and his ghost, we think, remains. He would certainly recognise it, as little has changed.”

stevenson house

Location: 17 Heriot Row

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Harry Potter locations in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is teeming with Harry Potter sights to delight Potterheads of all ages. It was in Edinburgh that JK Rowling turned her ideas and notes for a story about a boy wizard into a 7-book series, and she still lives in the area to this day. 

Harry Potter locations in Edinburgh include the cafés like Elephant House where Rowling wrote, the hotel where she completed the final book, licensed Harry Potter stores, and historic grave markers with familiar names.

You an always take a popular guided Harry Potter walking tour, or you can create your own with my roundup of Harry Potter sights in Edinburgh. 

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Edinburgh Libraries & Bookstores

In addition to the many noteworthy literary sights in Edinburgh, there are a great number of places to go if you just simply love surrounding yourself with books. 

There are infinite choices when it comes to Edinburgh bookshops, but I’ve rounded up 10 of my favorite recommendations to help guide your selection. 

There are also many libraries you can check out, including the following noteworthy Edinburgh libraries:

• The National Library of Scotland: the largest library in Scotland, with 24 million books. You can see one of Shakespeare’s first folios, a Gutenberg Bible, and archives of modern Scottish writers on display. 
• The Scottish Poetry Library: located at the foot of the Royal Mile not far from the Scottish Parliament building. Surprisingly modern in construction, it’s still an Edinburgh institution, focused on preserving the works of Scottish poets. 

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Edinburgh International Book Festival

The annual Edinburgh International Book Festival claims to be the largest literary festival in the world. It takes place over two weeks each August at Charlotte Square Gardens, overlapping with the popular Fringe Festival, a month-long celebration of artistic expression. 

If your visit coincides with the literary festival, you can attend upwards of 500 events featuring authors and illustrators that travel to Edinburgh each year. You should book events in advance, as they might sell out, and many events require paid tickets. 

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Finding a room in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is a city, yes, but it has the feel of a small town. It’s very walkable, so for ease and time savings, I recommend trying to find a room not far from the Royal Mile. At the very least, you’ll want to check that you are on a tram route to downtown if you choose to stay further outside the city.

If you’re looking for privately owned vacation rentals, I recommend checking VRBO. I’ve personally had much better experiences with their owners and rentals than I have with their primary competitor.

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That wraps up our in-depth look at literary Edinburgh. There are enough bookish sights to keep a bibliophile busy for days!

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